Feeding device for band knife splitting machines



Jan. 19, 1965 G. GROSSMANN 3,165,912

FEEDING DEVICE FOR BAND KNIFE SPLITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 8, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 19, 1965 G. GROSSMANN 3,165,912

EEEDING DEVICE FOR BAND KNIFE SPLITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 8, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United states ,Patent 3,165,912 FEEDENG DEVICE FR BAND KNEFE SPLETNG MACMES Gnter Grossmann, Frankfurt am Main, Germany,

signor to Maschinenfabrik Moenus AG., Frankfurt am Main, Germany, `a tirrnof Germain Y 1 Filed Aug. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 215,747

9 Claims. (Cl. 69--10) This invention relates to band knife splitting machines particularly for the splitting of leather and hides, and it more especially refers to the means for feeding the work to the band knife and discharging it after splitting. In the machines at present in use the feed of the leathers, or of the hides, at the end of a feed table, takes place between a pressure roll and a ring roll, which latter is composed of a number of individual loose rings operating in contact with a rubber roll and, in conjunctionwiththe same, serves to compensate irregularities in the thickness of the leather and to ensure the splits being of even thickness when they leave the machine.

These feeding means have the disadvantage that the advance of particularly larger leathers is so difficult to control that usually several persons are required to attend to the machine and even they have to exert considerable bodily strain in order to cope with the work. But notwithstanding all these exertions the performance of the machine is not always satisfactory. The irregularities in the leather cannot be fully compensated as the rings of the ring roll are rotated ordy by friction, namely by their contact with the power driven rubber roll while being held in position between the feed Ytable and a deector plate, owing to which arrangement they are subject to an intense breaking action which very often preventstheir rotation and, therewith, the correct feed of the leather, with the result that a considerable number of costly leathers suffer or even get destroyed.

The main object of the invention, therefore, is the provision of a feeding device in a band knife splitting machine, in which all these disadvantages are absent and in which the leathers or hides will be advanced evenly without any exertion on the part of the operator and in which irregularities in the substance of the material will be satisfactorily compensated without any Vundue waste being encountered.

Another object of theinvention is the provision in a feeding-device of the aforesaid kind of means by which the rings of the ring roll are positively driven each independently of the others without their cooperation with the rubber roll being in any way disturbed.

Still `another object is the provision of a plurality of independently movable work supporting means to replace the conventional stationary feeding table and which are positively driven by driving means at or near the entrance end of the machine.

Yet another object of the invention rests in the provision of preferably adjustable members by which the rings and their driving means are sustained in their cooperative position and in working contact with the rubber roll.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in a novel feedingrdevice for band knife splitting machines in which a conveyer forV the leathers or hides to be split comprises a plurality of juxtaposed bands or ice the rubber roll and,.at the same time, at a predetermined distance. each from its driving member and from thel cutting edge of the band knife. In this way the rings do not rest freely on the rubber roll as before, but by the intermediate portions of the conveyor belts.

The aforesaid distance pieces may be in Ithe shape of Y corporating the aforesaid Yand other improvements is diagrammatically illustrated in the accompanying drawings by way of example. -In these drawings: A

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through one embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a partial plan View thereof with parts being shown in section, Y j

FG. 3 is a modified form of the stay bolt shown in FIG. 1, Y

FIG. 4 illustrates a modification of the device in which the stay bolt is replaced by a tension plate, while FIG. 5 is a longitudinal'section on line A-B of FIG. 4.

ln the drawings only `such parts of the band knife splitting machine are shown which are necessary for Y the understanding of the invention. Thus the ring roll 2, the rubber roll 4, the band knife 6 .and the powderdriven pressure roll 8 are shown in the same relative posi.

tions which they have in the conventional band knife splitting machines. In accordance with the invention, however, the rings 5 of the ring roll 2 do not contact directly with the rubber roll but are each individually driven by means of conveyer bands, belts or the like 1t) from the bed roll 12 at the entrance end of the Workpieces into the machine which, in turn, receives its rotary movement by a gear 12 on shaft 2G. Bands 1G in their juxtaposed arrangement, including the bed roll 12 and the ring Vroll 2, form a common conveyer -for the feed of the workpieces, leather or hides for instance, towards the moving band knife. For better introduction of the workpieces into'the machine it is advisable to provide a pressure roller 15 above the bed roll 12.

Provided between, the bed roll 12 and the rings 5 of the ring roll 2 of each unit are distancey pieces which,

in FIGS. l and 3, are in the form of'stay bolts 16 hav `i ing rightand left screws 1S by means of which the tension of the bands tightened or relaxed as required. The arrangementkis such that oscillations of the rings which are caused in eachunit by the differences in the thickness of the leather, will cause swinging movements of the conveyer belts tabout the shaft 2) Vofk the Vbed belts, one for each ring of the ring roll, which are inl roll without any alteration in the mutual distance of the two rolls. The distance pieces are located within the spaces confined by the conveyer bands 10 and are provided at their ends with rollers 22 by which they are sustained in the grooves 3 and l'of the rollsZ and 12 respectively. They may, however, be journaled with their outer ends directly on the shaft 20 of the bed'roll. As an alternative their ends may be in the form of ball or needle bearings, as shown in FIG. 3, of which the outer bearings 24- may run on shaft 213 or on a tube126, and the inner bearings 24 on short pins passed through the rings of the ring roll 2.

A deflector 28 of substantially known form is provided in Contact with the rings 5, or the bands lti'respectively, to slip the finished splits out of the machine. .This deector is turnable about a Vperforated tube 36) .through which water or a.cleaning liquid is sprayed against the rubber roll 4 to dissolve smudge and particles which'are then removed by a doctor blade 32.

The modification which is illustratedin FIGS. 4 and 5 d differs from the aforedescribed embodiment in that the stays 16 are replaced by pivotal mounting plates 40 for the bands which is substantially wedge-shaped and also is accommodated within the space confined bythe conveyer bands 10 and which is pivotally journaled with its larger bearing on the bed roll shaft 20, or otherwise.

Journaled in this plate are one or more preferably eccentric rollers 42 by means of which the tension of the belt V1t) can be adjusted. One or more guide rollers 44 are also provided one of which bears through the band il@ on the rubber roll at a certain distance from the respective ring of the ring roll so that irregularities in the material make themselves felt in relation to the leverage of the plate 40 from the centre of the bed roll. Further provided in the plate 40 is an aperture 46 through which a bar 48, tted in the standard of the machine, is extended which limits the upward movement of the plate and, therewith, of the whole unit by contact with the lower edge of the opening.A The rubber roll, in this case, is located some distance away from the ring roll, so that chips and impurities are able to fall down `freely without fouling the rubber roll or the conveyer bands.

It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the examples hereinbefore described and shown in the drawings, but that it may be changed to suit convenience or requirements such as may be called for by the material to be operated upon. The distance pieces 16, for instance, may be made resilient by the application of springs, or the conveyer belts may be made smaller or wider, or any otherV changes may be made which may appear necessary without thereby departing from the spirit of the invention Within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

l. A work feeding device for band knife splitting machines having a conveyor and a power driven bed roll -on a shaft for feeding the Work to the band knife, a ring roll having rings, a rubber roll and a pressure roll for jointly urging the work pieces into contact with the edge of the band knife so as to compensate for irregularities in the thickness of the material to be split by the resiliency of the rubber roll acting through the agency of the rings of the ring roll, a plurality of juxtaposed conveyor bands each enclosing one of the rings of said ring roll and capable each independently of swinging about its end remote from said ring roll under vthe influence ofY said irregularities in the material, means for driving said conveyor bands collectively, control means within the confinesA of each of said bands for maintaining said rings and said driving means at Working distances from each other and for adjusting the position of the rings in relation to the edge of the band knife.

2. In a band knife splitting machine for the splitting of leather and hides and having means for feeding the work to the band knife including a ring roll having rings and a rubber roll for compensating for irregularities in the thickness of the material to be split, and a pressure roller bearing on the work piece in cooperation with said ring roll for pressing same firmly against said rubber roll, a plurality of juxtaposed conveyor bands one for each ring of the ring roll, a bed roll at the entrance end of the machine for collectively driving said conveyor bands, each of said conveyor bands stretching between one of said rings and said bed roll, right and left threaded screw means within the coniines of each of said bands for adjusting and upholding the distance of the rings from said bed roll, and block supports having guide wheels at each end of said threaded screw means, said bed roll and each of said rings having grooves therein, which grooves serve as tracks for the wheels on said block supports.

Y 3. In a feeding device for band knife splitting machines as claimed in claim l, in which each of the juxtaposed conveyor bands is stretched between a driven bed roll and a ring roll, said distance control means in the confines of each conveyor band being in the form of right and left handed screw bolts having antifriction bearings at its ends, one to run on the bed roll and the other cooperating with one of the individual rings of the ring roll.

4. A feeding device for band knife splitting machines as claimed in claim l, in which the rubber roll is set back in relation to the ring roll in the direction of the bed roll, and in which means are provided to transmit the splitting pressure to the rubber roll over a lever arm which is correspondingly shorter than the length of the feeding unit itself.

5. A feeding device for band knife splitting machines as claimed in claim 1, in which the rubber roll is set back in relation to the ring roll and in the direction of the bed roll, and in which a guide roller is positioned within the conveyor band to transmit the pressure set up by the `respective ring roll and the pressure roll through the conveyor band to the rubber roll.

6. A feeding device for band knife splitting machines as claimed in claim l, distance control means in the form of a plate Within the confines of each conveyor unit between the bed roll and the ring roll being in the shape'of a pivotal plate, means for guiding its conveyor band around the rolls, an aperture in said plate, and a bar passed through said aperture with both its ends fixed to the machine frame, said bar contacting the lower edge of said aperture for limiting the upward pivotal movement of each unit independently of the others.

7. In a feeding device for band knife splitting machines as claimed in claim 1, a scraper for cleaning the conveyor band at a point below the said knife, a doctor blade in a position at approximately right angles to said scraper and forming a bell crank lever therewith, and a perforated tube adjacent the rubber roll serving as a pivot for said bell crank lever and for spraying a liquid against said rubber roll to dissolve adhering impurities.

8. In a feeding device for band knife splitting machines comprising a plurality of juxtaposed conveyor band units as set forth in claim 1, said distance control means within the confines of said conveyor beads being in the shape each of a plate having a large bearing integral therewith at one end of the conveyor band and a small bearing at the free end thereof, said large bearing being loosely journaled on the shaft for the bed roll for the respective conveyor band yand serving as a pivotal support therefor, while said small bearing cooperates with one of the rings of the ring roll.

9. In a feeding device for band Yknife splitting machines comprising a plurality of juxtaposed conveyor band units as set forth in claim 1, said distance control means within the connes of said conveyor bands being in the shape of a plate having a large bearing integral therewith at the driven end of the conveyor band and a small bearing at the free end thereof and forming a ring roll, said large bearing being loosely journaled on the driving shaft for the bed roll, and means on the said plate for establishing contact with the rubber roll to support the free end.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,154,115 4/39 Stehling 69-10 2,803,126 8/57 Meyer 69-10 FOREIGN PATENTS 643,089 4/37 Germany. 289,016 3/29 jGreat Britain. 337,536 11/30 Great Britain.

JORDAN FRANKLrN, Primm Examiner. EDWARD V. BENHAM, ExaminerT 

1. A WORK FEEDING DEVICE FOR BAND KNIFE SPLITTING MACHINES HAVING A CONVEYOR AND A POWER DRIVEN BED ROLL ON A SHAFT FOR FEEDING THE WORK TO THE BANK KNIFE, A RING ROLL HAVING RINGS, A RUBBER ROLL AND A PRESSURE ROLL FOR JOINTLY URGING THE WORK PIECES INTO CONTACT WITH THE EDGE OF THE BAND KNIFE SO AS TO COMPENSATE FOR IRREGULARITIES IN THE THICKNESS OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SPLIT BY THE RESLIENCY OF THE RUBBER ROLL ACTING THROUGH THE AGENCY OF THE RINGS OF THE RING ROLL, A PLURALITY OF JUXTAPOSED CONVEYOR BANDS EACH ENCLOSING ONE OF THE RINGS OF SAID RING ROLL AND CAPABLE EACH INDEPENDENTLY OF SWINGING ABOUT ITS END REMOTE FROM SAID RING ROLL UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SAID IRREGULARITIES IN THE MATERIAL, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CONVEYOR BANDS COLLECTIVELY, CONTROL MEANS WITHIN THE CONFINES OF EACH OF SAID BANDS FOR MAINTAINING SAID RINGS AND SAID DRIVING MEANS AT WORKING DISTANCES FROM EACH OTHER AND FOR ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF THE RINGS IN RELATION TO THE EDGE OF THE BAND KNIFE. 